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Garstang  Cycling Club

 

Policy relating to young persons

 

PART 1 - INTRODUCTION

1.1
Aims and objectives

Garstang Cycling Club actively promotes safe cycling and also supports and encourages the activity of cycling for all ages.  In striving to achieve the objective, the club recognises the importance of providing a framework to establish a safe environment in terms of both road safety and personal safety for all members, but with a specific policy in relation to young persons.

1.2
Glossary of terms

1.3
The following information sets out the policy of the club, the safeguards in place and the advice to all members be they ordinary adult members or young persons.  The information is also intended to be understood by parents or guardians of the specific groups for which the policy is intended.

1.4
Please note that whilst the club accepts a duty of care, it should be stressed that the duty of care in respect of young persons and in respect of the club’s statutory and common law duties relates only to organised club activities and will commence at the start of the activity and will terminate at the conclusion of the activity, which under normal circumstances relates to the start and end of a ride from the advertised start point to the return to that or other nominated point.  In the case of organised activities over more than a single day’s duration, the club will accept responsibility for the duration of the event.

1.5
At all other times, club members are encouraged to act in accordance with the guidelines set out herein.

 

PART 2 - CONSTITUTIONAL AND FRAMEWORK ISSUES.

2.1
Young Persons’ Liaison Officer

In relation to young persons, the club will appoint a suitable and CRB approved adult member who will act as Young Persons Liaison Officer.    The purpose of the specific role is to act as a focus point for any young person or parent/guardian of a young person who has any concerns regarding issues which are intended to be covered by this policy or any other matter which is considered appropriate by the young person, their parent or guardian.  The officer will also be required by the club to hold certain personal information in relation to young persons which enables the role of Liaison Officer to function adequately for the benefit of both the young person and the club as a whole.

 2.2
Club Secretary
In order to fulfil the role and to communicate with all members, including young persons, it will be necessary for the Club Secretary to retain certain personal data in relation to young persons which would include, inter alia, home address, telephone number, email address for the good management of the club.

2.3
Club Treasurer
In order to fulfil the role, the club treasurer will also be required require to hold the above mentioned information.

2.4
Data Protection
The 3 above mentioned club officers will treat the personal data held in respect of young persons as confidential and will not pass any relevant information other than name details to any other club member.  Each of the above mentioned officers of the club will be CRB approved.

2.5
Publication of policy document
A hard copy of this document will be provided to each young person on becoming a member or prospective member of the club.  A copy of the same document will be provided to the parent or guardian of a young person becoming a member or prospective member and both parent/guardian and young person will sign and date the appropriate form to acknowledge receipt and understanding of the policy.

A copy of the policy will be provided on the club’s website.

All adult members of the club will be informed of the policy via the website and at quarterly meeting to ensure understanding and compliance.

2.6
Duty of Care issues
Under normal circumstances, the duty of care interaction between ordinary adult club members and young members or vice versa is exactly the same as it would be between adult members, however, in producing this policy, the club recognises an overall duty of care towards young persons that requires special arrangements and understanding.  It is intended that this policy will fully discharge the common law duty of care owed by the club and its managing committee. (Read in conjunction with 1.4 and 1.5 above)

2.7
Medical issues
The parental consent form will indicate whether or not the parent/guardian is willing to allow a suitably nominated adult member of the club to give any required parental consent in respect of medical emergency treatment if the parent or guardian cannot be contacted for any reason.  The club’s risk assessment document (available via the website) recommends that riders of all ages retain a card with relevant medical information to be accessed by others in case of emergency, reference is also made in relation to the responsibility of riders of all ages to inform the ride co-ordinator of any medical condition that could affect their ability to ride.
 

 2.8
Travel Arrangements
The parental consent form will set out that it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure arrangements regarding the young persons’ travel arrangements to the start point of the advertised ride and to make arrangements for the return of the young person at the conclusion of the ride, which under normal circumstances will be the same as the start point.

2.9
Members of the club or each ride co-ordinator cannot accept the responsibility of ensuring the return of young persons to their home after a ride.  Parents must either arrange to meet the young person, or by implication allow them to return home unsupervised and indicated their acceptance of this requirement within the parental consent form.

2.10
Under normal circumstances, the club would require that at least 2 adult members including the nominated ride co-ordinator or other nominee should return to the finish point together with any young persons engaged in that particular ride, whereupon the duty of the club will be considered to have been fulfilled.

 

PART 3 – TRAINING AND EVALUATION

3.1
Prior to being allowed to engage in any activity arranged or supported by the club, young persons must provide parental consent documentation (appendix A).

3.2
Young riders must also provide a signature and date in respect of the provision and understanding of the policy document.

3.4
All initial activities will be co-ordinated by the Young Persons’ Liaison Officer, who will oversee the training and evaluation of each young person taking part in initial induction.  The induction is intended to establish whether or not the young person is sufficiently safe on the road and capable of undertaking minor repairs such as punctures and gear adjustments.

3.5
The induction process will be by way of supervised youth rides which will be advertised on the club’s website and by way of communication with the liaison officer.

3.6
Having been satisfied in relation to road safety and mechanical ability, the liaison officer may, after discussing the matter with the young person, recommend that the young person is suitable to engage on official club rides with a group commensurate with ability.
It should be pointed out that at that stage a young person is deemed capable of riding without having an adult member acting in loco parentis.  Although each club ride will have an appointed ride co-ordinator, that person has no greater responsibility for the young rider than for any other rider in the group, although the normal rules of ride etiquette will apply as set out in the club’s risk assessment (see website for details).

3.7
If the young person or parent/guardian is not comfortable with the above-mentioned arrangements, the information should be conveyed to the liaison officer at the earliest opportunity.

3.8
Young persons must at all times comply with the directions of the route co-ordinator in respect of relevant matters and must also comply with the risk assessment.

 

PART 4 – GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO CLUB MEMBERS

 

Policy commencement date……………………..

Annual Review date due by……………………..

Club Chairman (signature)………………………